Harmony Project was founded by Dr.
Margaret Martin in April 2001 as a public health intervention to: • Invest in the positive development of children through the study, practice and performance of music; • Build healthier communities by investing in the positive development of children through music; • Develop children as musical ambassadors of peace, hope and understanding amongst people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and beliefs. It has many different teaching sites all over the Los Angeles area. The first site launched in
Hollywood with 36 students and $9000 in funding from the
Rotary Club of
Hollywood. In 2006, a second site opened in
South LA at EXPO center, and the following year
Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) was formed in partnership with the
Los Angeles Philharmonic and to be conducted by famed conductor,
Gustavo Dudamel. Harmony Project partnered with
LAUSD's Beyond the Bell program in 2009 and in the fall of that year launched the Hip Hop Orchestra, a string ensemble that performs contemporary popular music under the direction of composer and conductor Diane Louie. Harmony Project currently operates at 18 sites across California, and in 6 different states, serving over 6,500 students in all. In 2016 Harmony Project students—all from low-income homes—included two
Fulbright Scholars, one
Gates Millennium Scholar and one doctor (a dentist). Students in Harmony Project's Class of 2016 who participated in the program at least three years experienced an average length of participation of 7 years; 98% will attend college in fall 2016; most are first-generation college students; 50% have been accepted into high value STEM majors. In 2016 the Yamaha Music & Wellness Institute, the non-profit education and research arm of the
Yamaha Corporation and
Conn-Selmer, an American manufacturer of musical instruments, formally partnered with Harmony Project of America (HPA). HPA also receives support from the D'Addario Foundation, among others. ==Awards and recognition==